People have been saying today: Gee, I wonder how Sarah Palin will handle this, this little backwoods girl in the national spotlight. And I’m thinking: Well, that’s not how she is in her own mind. She actually thinks she’s governor of a state and a big deal — someone who has succeeded all her life.

This reminded me of an episode in Davos: John Ashcroft was there (when he was attorney general), and a reporter from a big, big American newspaper said, “Gee, how can he show his face around here, boob and clod that he is” (basically). And I said: “Don’t forget, he may be ridiculous to you, but he’s not ridiculous to himself. As far as he’s concerned, he’s one of the most important and successful people in America — who went to Yale and Chicago; who became a state attorney general; who became governor; who became a U.S. senator; and who finally became attorney general of the United States. Again: You may think he’s an embarrassment. But he is hardly that way to himself.”

To his credit, the reporter from the big, big newspaper said, “Hmm — good point. Never thought of it that way.”